


Let the Waves Take Me Down

by ClockWorkQueso



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Multi, Plotty, Steven is 12 and half Mer, There is a lot of backstory ahhhh, hmm, its pretty cookiecutter really, jasper is a creep, just pls read it i worked so hard on the story, mermaid au, princess lapis
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-28
Updated: 2016-01-14
Packaged: 2018-04-23 18:48:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4887892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClockWorkQueso/pseuds/ClockWorkQueso
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's more to the sleepy ocean-side town of Beach City than many realize. And what lurks in the water is deadlier and more captivating than anything humans have seen before. </p><p>Above and below intertwine as a princess goes rogue and trips right into Steven's life, changing both of their fates forever, as neither of them are ready to accept the severity of their destinies. But they'll have to if they want to save their homes... and each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Water lapped in soft waves on the shore of Beach City, a nondescript small town usually left off the map of the Eastern United States. Nothing of note ever happened in Beach City, really. It was completely ordinary in every way- even a bit under the threshold of ordinary, if such a concept existed. 

However. 

There was one resident of Beach City that made this story worth writing (and reading, although that might be a bit presumptuous of the author).

And of course- the mermaids.

wWw

Strong tails for swimming.

_Lapis allowed her tail to swish behind her absentmindedly, thoughtless. There were surely better ways to spend her time than idling here._

Teeth like razors, for attack. A taste for the more... macabre, especially surprising for creatures so beautiful. 

_She worried her lip gently, stifling a yawn. Lapis was unsuccessful, and tastefully brought her slender fingers up to hide her mouth, water gushing between her fingers. The salt on her tongue did little to rouse her from her boredom._

Sharp nails for defense, among other things. Gills, for breath, large eyes for sight. Muscular bodies- though some were packed into lithe frames made for speed instead of intimidation. 

_Lapis wished she was anywhere but here, anywhen but now. She wanted something new to entertain her, occupy her. She wanted to feel, to know._

She didn’t want to be Lapis Lazuli any more. 

“Miss Lazuli, are you even paying attention? This information is imperative for your success as the heir to the kingdom. The least you could do is _pretend_ to be interested.” Pearl’s thoughts nearly assaulted her with their severity, and Lapis briefly wondered why she had gotten one of the most annoying Pearls she had ever met as a tutor and guide. Then she realized that she was in trouble, if the teal slits pointed at her were any indication. 

“I’m sorry. No, my mind is… somewhere else.” Lapis offered, shrugging and pursing her lips. Pearl’s eyes narrowed, and she huffed, bubbles spiraling up from the corners of her mouth. 

“I should say so. Please invest more effort into your studies, Miss Lazuli. It might come in handy one day.” Pearl reminded her, bringing her hands together. She steepled her fingers and looked behind her, up, around, anywhere but Lapis. Pearls had no tact, though that might have been hypocritical coming from her. 

“Alright, we can quit for now. I promise I’ll try harder tomorrow, you can be dismissed.” Lapis rolled her shoulders and swam backwards, waving a cursory goodbye to her tutor. She barely caught the “Very good, Miss Lazuli.” before she was gone. 

She spiraled up and away from the drop-off that they had held "class" on, looking up at the sunlight permeating the top of the water. Even from fathoms below, it still stung her eyes, and she loved it. The motion of the waves caused an almost hypnotic pattern that mesmerized the mermaid, and she floated closer. Finally, the pain became too great to handle, and she turned down, blinking spots from her vision. She laughed a little at the sensation, the pressure behind her eyelids. Lapis then propelled herself back down into the colder waters, her body slipping comfortably into the higher compression of the Undersea. 

Weaker mermaids could only survive in the upper levels, so she got the chance to get closer to the sun with every lesson from Pearl. Her tutor lived about 6 levels up from her, nearly at the cusp of the Undersea. She scoffed at the thought. Why was it that she, in all her boundless privilege, couldn’t have what a Pearl had? She swam harder, faster, and reached the Seafloor in record time. Only Diamonds and the like could make it this far, and she felt a slimy shiver travel down her spine at the thought. She didn’t want to be a Diamond. She didn’t want to be royalty. She wanted…

What _did_ she want?

“Lapis.” She felt her name caress her, and she whipped around. The Queen’s guard were the few born strong enough for the Seafloor, and Jasper was more than born strong. She lived strong, ate strong for breakfast, trained from birth to serve dutifully. It made Lapis feel weak and helpless, the exact opposite of how one of her guards should make her feel. 

The phosphorescence on Japser’s ears and tail, face, arms, made her look like some sort of warrior, and the orange glow did nothing to help soften the man-eating grin on her face. 

“Jasper.” She replied curtly, turning back around. 

“You’re back early. I’m concerned, of course.” A hand on her shoulder nearly had her hissing in discontent.

“Nothing happened. Thank you, but I’m fine.” She said, with a bit less confidence, as the hand moved from her shoulder up to her neck. She dared not move, with Jasper’s claws so close to her gills. 

“If you have time to kill, princess-” 

“Jasper, princess! White Diamond demand your presence at once. Well, she could care less about Jasper, but as long as you’re here I guess.” Peridot appeared out of the gloom, glowing a bright, unpleasant green. She was an engineered type, a slight Mer with a mechanical function and tenacity. 

Jasper pulled away with a growl. “Why can’t that old pufferfish just keel over yet? She’s been on her deathbed for ages.” 

Lapis shot after Peridot, who had already begun her trek back to the Monolith. She could sense Jasper behind her though. Always behind her.

wWw

"I just think she's a bit... inexperienced, Howlite. That's all." Cymophane stated, swimming back and forth in front of her queen. The regal mermaid lay crippled in the darkness of her throne room, permeated by elegant strings of white bio-luminescent algae and a myriad of deformed deep-sea fish.

"Lapis Lazuli is the only heir fit for my place. She is curious, with a kind heart, but firm and opinionated. She will be a fine Queen, Yellow." Howlite's thoughts were feeble, and Cymophane was reminded of a sucker-fish barely clinging to what sustained it. "And you will be her faithful adviser, as you were to me." 

Cymophane nodded tersely. Of course she would, she knew her place. Though she was a Diamond as well, she lived to serve the reigning Queen. That was why she had an assistant modeled after her, for Lapis herself... though Peridot was more trouble than she was worth. And speaking of-

"Her Highness Lapis Lazuli and Diamond Guard Jasper, as requested." Peridot nearly shattered the silence, and Howlite slowly sat herself up straighter. Cymophane rushed to assist her, placing a hand on her lower back. 

“Thank you, Peridot. Leave us.” Cymophane waved her free hand at the young Mer, who bowed and left with a sullen expression. Howlite gestured for Cymophane to back away. She took her position to the right of her Queen, watching her carefully for any faltering movement.

“I don’t remember asking for you, Jasper.” Howlite’s tone was teasing, though the guard tensed. The Queen’s gentle prodding at the mind could be a bit uncomfortable for mermaids used to less direct contact. Cymophane suppressed a smirk as Lapis tried to hide her flinch as well. She had a long way to go if she wanted to rule properly, powerfully. 

“I was only joking. You were simply watching your charge, which is quite appreciated. Now, Lapis. We have important matters to discuss.” Howlite continued, resting her hands in her lap. The fish gathered around her, bathing her in eerie light. 

“If I may speak freely, White Diamond… are you up to it? You look…” Lapis interjected, and Cymophane nearly scoffed. She was truly tactless.

“I am fine enough, Lapis. Being sure that you are educated adequately is of more import than my health at this moment in time. Yellow will make sure that I don’t overexert myself.” Cymophane shifted a bit, rattled, as the Queen gazed at her. Her eyes were already so lifeless. But it wasn’t as if Howlite could live forever. She was the oldest mermaid in the ocean by centuries. That is, if unless their quest succeeded. 

“Now, the first matter we must address- your escort…” she began, as a figure came out of the shadows, gauntlets clenched.

wWw

Steven’s bare feet burned on the hot sand, though he countered this by performing quick hop-steps to reach his destination. His dad looked up as he sat the pails, shovels, and sea-shells down on the towel he was lying on.

“Nice work, kiddo. Better get building before the tide gets too high.” He said, leaning back and adjusting his shades. Steven nodded and gathered the supplies back into his arms, dancing out to the blissfully cooler, wet sand. He gathered one bucket of the damp stuff- his foundation- and scanned the beach for a good spot to dump it and begin construction. A little ways left of where his dad set up camp was what looked like the perfect place- but out further, and back down towards where the waves were rolling in, a gleam caught Steven’s eye. Puffing his cheeks out, he glanced at Dad. It was probably out of his line of sight. But he’d only be over there for a second. Two, tops. 

And it would look really great on his castle, whatever it was.

He started out at a light jog towards the shiny object, kneeling when he reached it. It was half buried in the sand, and Steven gingerly pulled it out- displaying admirable concentration for a twelve year-old with a castle to get back to. It felt solid, but fragile, and was smooth and almost egg-shell colored on one side. But on the other… the Sun bounced off of the purple surface, making it sparkle like a piece of jewelry. Steven spent a few moments just tilting the thing, eyes wide and starry. It fit just in the palm of his hand, and he stood to wipe the sand off of his swimshorts. He needed to show Dad!

“Dad! Hey!” He called, and his dad sat up almost groggily. Who could nap at the beach? “Look what I found! It’s like a rock, or something, but not? Check it out!” 

Steven held out his prize triumphantly, and his dad looked nonplussed for all of three seconds. Then, he stood abruptly, startling Steven backwards. Dad grabbed his hand, pulling him away from the beach to their house just up the hill.

Steven’s pink pail, his favorite, lay on the sand as the waves broke against it, still filled, but forgotten.


	2. Chapter 2

"Steven, that's... Well, I mean..." Greg was truly at a loss here. And poor Steven, who still sat in his beach clothes across from him on the couch with the most puzzled expression he could muster, he deserved someone who could properly explain all of this. Rose had never really specified what this discussion should entail. Should he come right out and say it? Drop hints? Be subtle? More obvious? How would a twelve-year old be able to handle something like this…?

His son still held the perpetrator, the cause of all this, in his little hands, gently cradling the thing. It was as beautiful as he remembered, glowing a gentle lavender, even indoors. He blew a breath out, then breathed in. Alright. 

"Son, there are things you need to know.... uh, about me. And about you. Well, and... and your mother..."

wWw

Greg furiously kicked at the sand, tossing another rock out into the ocean. Stupid Marty. Stupid career. Stupid _life_. So what if no one showed at his gig? This was a dead-beat town anyway, and his manager was the one that booked the thing! Marty had no right to blow up at him, and push his buttons, get under his skin... Write more music! Write better music! Easier said than done, and where was Marty? Out partying? With some chick? While he, what, slaved away for nothing? Unfair. 

Greg could think of a few words to describe Marty, and _fair_ wasn't one of them. 

He sighed, long and hard, sitting down and staring out to the ocean. Heh. He'd been to the coast a couple times, but he'd never really taken time to just look at the ocean. Too much to do, he guessed. It was nice, nothing too glamorous. But calming. The horizon was dark already, and Greg wished that he coulda watched the sunset or something. They were supposed to be legendary. Maybe he'd write a song about it. No, too cheesy. He needed better material, jeez. There were only so many words that rhymed with space. 

"The moment that I hit the stage..." He sang softly, turning his head into the breeze as it brushed past him. He could smell the water, and the sand, and it was a lot better than those candles they sold. "I hear the Universe callin' my name..." 

His heart lifted as he began to sing with more fervor. "And I know deep down in my heart I have nothing to fear..." He stood and smiled around his lyrics. He was _Mr. Universe_ , he'd figure something out.

"And as the solar wind blows through my hair, knowing I have so much more left to share," Greg clenched a hand and brought it to his heart. "A wandering spirit who's tearin' its way through the cold atmosphere, I fly like a comet..." 

He started to wind down again, smile still in place. "Soar, like a comet. Crash like a comet. I'm just a comet..." 

Clapping startled him from his performance-induced haze, and he looked behind him, then left and right. He was alone on the beach, he was sure. His gaze traveled down, and in front of him, in the water. It took him a second to realize that there was not a decapitated head in the water, but that someone watching him from it. Huh. He couldn't tell really in the dark, but she looked sorta... pink? 

"Hey, uh. Kinda late to be swimming, don't you think?" Greg said, laughing nervously. Her eyes were beautiful, her hair- what he could see of it, anyway- curled magnificently, just beginning to dry near the top. And she had the sweetest smile that he'd ever seen on her lips. 

"Not for me." She replied, her voice washing over him like warm rain. He felt a shiver run its course down his spine.

"I-is that right?" He stuttered, and he felt his face flush. He hoped she couldn't see.

“I liked your song… tell me, though- what is a comet?” What kind of question was that? Was she being sarcastic…? She looked at him expectantly, and he moved closer, so that the tide brushed a little in front of his feet. She must’ve been treading serious water, but she didn’t bob or anything. It was a little unsettling. 

“Uh, let’s see… a comet is like, a rock from space that enters the Earth’s atmosphere, and burns up. If it’s dark and you’re in the right spot, you can see ‘em, and sometimes there’s a whole bunch of ‘em at once.” She nodded, then her brows furrowed. She laughed deeply, shoulders rising out of the water. Goosebumps rose on his arms at the sound. She was captivating. 

“Oh, that just raises even more questions. What’s your name, then?” 

“Greg, Greg Universe. Yours?” He answered, running a hand through his hair. Greg’d answer anything she asked without hesitation. 

“Pink- No, Rose Quartz.” She titled her head. “Nice to meet you.” He nodded in response. The sound of the waves filled the air then, and Greg wasn’t sure what to say. Rose looked him up and down. He could feel her eyes, like coals searing his skin. She pursed her lips. Opened them. Closed them abruptly. 

“Something on your mind, Rose? Sometimes it helps to get it off your chest.” He offered to her, smiling at her lowered brows. He sat and folded his legs underneath him, and she watched him carefully. “Like… okay, this is gonna sound bad, but no one showed up at my concert tonight, right? So I’m already pretty down, and then my manager gets all angry and tells me off, which just ground my gears. Then I came out here to calm down. I dunno. I don't feel so bad about it any more. Even more so now that I’ve met you, honestly.”

Rose sighed. “Everything you say confuses me, Greg Universe.”

“Is… is that a good thing?”

“Oh, it’s the best…!” Suddenly, another head popped up beside Rose. It was small and round, like a child’s, framed by short, white hair. What…?

“Told you so. They’re weird, aren’t they? Hey, White’s looking for you, I think. Somethin’ ‘bout Blue. HEY HUMAN!” The new figure said this all in about three seconds, and Greg scrambled back when they directed their attention to him. “WE GOTTA GO NOW, OKAY?”

“Amethyst, it can hear just fine. You don't need to yell.” Rose reprimanded, and Greg’s mind whirled. 

“I know. I jus’ like yelling.” Amethyst said cheekily, waving to Greg. “Byeeeee~”

The kid went back under, and Greg felt a flash of panic. It wasn’t like they could breathe underwater! ...Right?

“I apologize for Amethyst. She’s very young, you know. But she’s the one who showed me up here. She said sometimes humans come to the beach, right in front of the ocean. I just hadn’t expected to meet one, so thank you!” Rose said, smiling widely. Greg noticed that her teeth were way, way sharper than they should have been. 

“Rose?” He nearly wheezed, as she prepared to leave. She raised her eyebrows. “Are you… not… human too?” She took a second to process the question, then pulled back with a smirk.

“Pfft. of course not, Greg Universe. I’m a Mer! What a silly question- you are so much more amusing than I’d thought you’d be! And I’m technically not allowed up here, so I have to go.” 

Without another word, she submerged herself. Greg sat, shell-shocked, for at least an hour on that beach after she left.

wWw

“What do you mean, you quit?!? You can’t _quit_! You’re gonna make us both rich!” Marty nearly screeched when he finally turned up the next morning. Well, it was more like the afternoon, and judging by the girl under his arm Greg could gather why. 

“Listen, Marty, I know you don’t understand-”

“No, I understand perfectly! You blissed out little rock-star kids think you can do whatever you want, all the time. You’ve gone off the deep end this time, though. I’m not letting you walk away from m- our future!” Marty waved a finger in Greg’s face, and he slapped it away. Why hadn’t he seen this before? Marty was…

“We’re done, Marty. I’m done. You’re an awful manager, and if anyone can make it solo, it’s me!” Greg asserted, turning his back on Marty and his flavor of the week. Blood boiling, he stormed off, tuning out the frantic calls of his ex-manager. 

Greg went and ate a late lunch- some local pizza- then retreated to his van to write. Soon enough, though, the floor was littered with balled up paper, and Greg had to throw in the towel. Skipping out on his sure ticket to landing gigs- his main source of income, yeesh- was an inspiration killer for sure. Suddenly feeling cramped, he pushed open the back doors to let some air in. Was it hot? It felt hot. He scooted forwards so that he was sitting on the edge of the van's bed, feet swinging over the ground. He was in serious trouble. 

Why did he even quit, really? Because he finally realized that Marty never treated him well? Probably, but... something else nagged at him, like an itching under his skin. He was pretty impulsive sometimes, but then again, Marty was his one-way shot to stardom. If he didn't want that, then... what _did_ he want...? 

Greg was out of the van, and running as soon as he locked the doors behind him.


	3. Chapter 3

Rose sighed as Yellow regaled her with the day's events, bemoaning White's apparent lack of memory retention and mobility.

"Honestly, between her Majesty's situation and rearing Lapis, I've had no time for anything apart from my duties. Are... are you sure that there's nothing you can do?"

"Trust me, Cymophane, I have thought about the Queen long and hard, and I have made no progress in her healing. Her decline is slow, though. Lapis Lazuli will have more than enough time to become a fine Mer." Rose reminded, settling softly on a rock jutting out into the open sea. A dozen or so fish flocked to her, and she brushed her fingers over the few that settled in her lap. Cymophane, after a pause, sat next to her.

"Not... It's not Lapis I'm worried about if she passes, Rose." She said quietly. "How would you understand? You're younger than the both of us. You weren't there when Howlite founded this kingdom, when we were alone. Just her and me, I..." She looked away, and Rose touched her shoulder gently. "I don't want her to die. But I want what's best for the kingdom..."

"And what's best for you. It's okay to want to be selfish." Rose said, with a heavy heart. She thought longingly of the surface. Was she trying to comfort Yellow, or herself? She suddenly smelled blood in the water, and, startled, she looked down to see that she had nicked a small clownfish. Yellow whipped around and eyed the creature, most likely unable to help herself. Rose simply swished the fish into her palm, and with a glow, healed it back up. She watched it swim away. Yellow tracked it too, though with less benign intentions.

"I will never understand your abilities. Why be born with the power to heal if we are also made to destroy?" Yellow murmured, closing her eyes. Her glow dimmed slightly. Rose could feel Cymophane's energy fade too, as if she were dying on the inside.

"You seem tired. If I may let you in on a secret project of mine? I might be able to relieve you of some of your duties. Perhaps help with Lapis so you can focus on Howlite." Rose asked, as her eyes wandered to the surface. Yellow hummed, eyes still closed. Rose was glad that the other Mer couldn't see her expression, nearly filled with grief. How she wanted to be  _up there_. But, from what she could see, the sky was still bright, and the Sun was a cumbersome foe due to her nature. They weren't very far from the air above- Rose had hoped to meet Pearl or Amethyst before going home. She shook her head. Ignoring her present company was rude.

"Mer are only born when the Sea gives life to us, right?" Rose probed, and Yellow opened one eye.

"Of course. When She needs us, and deems us worthy, She breathes life into our centers and allows us to take a physical form." This was taught to every child, as soon as they could grasp it.

"But we are few. And understaffed, you must admit. So I've-"

"Pink! Are you suggesting that  _we_ create our own? Impossible." Cymophane said coldly, and the spines on her tail raised slightly.

"It's really not! All that's necessary is a core, and a giver of life. Who better than me to-"

"It is not our place! B-besides, that's… horrific. Would it have a soul? Or just be some… malleable servant?"

"No, no! I've tried it on a friend of mine- her core is abundant here, and all of her copies are fine. They are their own Mer, and she is unharmed. And I've made a little one, too." Rose said, her pride wavering. She loved her… children? Was that the right word? It didn't feel right.

And  _creations_  made her feel worthy of the glare Cymophane was giving her.

"I suggest you take time and reevaluate yourself, Pink. I have to get back to work. It was… nice talking to you..." Yellow quickly sped away from the cliff, and Rose sighed, frustrated. No one understood her here. No one would. She could heal. What use did killers have for healing? She could give life, instead of take it. Who was she? ... _What_ was she?

"I thought that lady would never leave!" A little voice peeped, and Rose smiled despite herself. Amethyst. The Mer quickly took the place of the fish on her lap, settling there gently.

"Whassup, Rose? You look bummed out." Rose would never learn where she picked up such vocabulary… or… maybe she could.

"You're right, Amethyst. When the Sun sets, will you take me to the shore again?" Rose asked wistfully, brushing out her little one's pale hair. The Mer puffed her cheeks out, and blew a stream of bubbles at a seahorse that was perilously close to Rose's ensnaring curls.

"Sure. We'll have to wait a while, though. You went a few days ago, didn't ya? You okay? Are you sad about White Diamond? I heard from Sapphire that she's gettin' worse."

Rose shook her head, then laughed. "Right now, White is the least of my worries. Yellow is very capable. I'm more worried about  _you_. How are you holding up?"

"I think Pearl's gettin' sick of me. She's so… con- _troll-_ ing... so I spend more time on the surface than anything. I'm getting better at walking, you know, and my f-fh-feet hurt less every time! The key is practice, I think." Rose hummed, pleased. Amethyst chuckled, and reached upwards with her right hand. "Maybe less than an hour, and we'll go up together."

"There you are! Don't go running off like that, you'll give me an attack!' Pearl's voice rang out from above, and Rose grinned at her finicky friend.

"I hear Amethyst is giving you trouble?" Rose teased, as Pearl slowed to a stop in front of her. She huffed.

"Of course. She's a handful, why did I  _ever_ agree to such a ridiculous idea?"

Rose batted her eyes. "Because you're the greatest Mer in the whole Sea."

Pearl went teal, and Amethyst chortled. "Man, Pearl. She's got ya." Rose wasn't sure what that meant, but Pearl  _was_  her dearest companion. She meant more to Rose than almost anything.

"Have you been to land again? Where do you pick up all this... ridiculous slang?" Pearl tutted, shooing away fish to clear a spot next to Rose.

"She's only a child, Pearl. And curious. Let her be herself." Rose scolded- lightly- back. Pearl sighed.

"That may be true, Rose, but she grows more every day. Have you not noticed the accelerated-"

"Of course I have. The other Pearls are nearly your age already. But Amethyst is the only Amethyst. We're not sure what her adult stage will look like or how long it will last." Rose would handle things as they came. She just hoped her little one's lifespan was longer than her calculations assumed.

"Imma stay a kid forever!" Amethyst crowed, and Rose rolled her eyes and grinned.

wWw

Greg strummed at his guitar absentmindedly, watching the sunset. It was really great. If only he could afford a camera to take a picture. He was officially  _jobless_. And homeless. Well, he had his van, at least. He'd been in Beach City upwards of 4 days, doing odd jobs during the day for the locals ( _yeah we could always use a hand, thank you stranger, would you like to stay for dinner?_ \- he'd become sort of popular). But at night…

He'd parked his van right up the road so that he could wander the by-now familiar path down to the shore where he'd met…  _her_.

Rose intrigued him, more than being famous or making good money or living life on the road ever would, he knew. Greg wanted  _her_ , or at least, to resolve some of his questions about her. They'd been turning in his head since they met.  _What's it like to breathe underwater? How do you keep your hair so nice?_  He went over a set list in his mind, yet every night thus far, she'd failed to show. Greg didn't blame her. He didn't want to get her in trouble, or caught by some creepy scientist. Still, he liked it on this beach. He supposed he wouldn't mind waiting forever, if that's what it took. Maybe he could even make a decent home here.

The sound of water breaking caught his attention, and he nearly leaped headfirst into the water when the familiar silhouette of Rose greeted him. Her small friend… Amethyst, right, bobbed next to her.

"Ooh, hey it's you!" she said, at full volume, and she began to near the shore. "Heh, watch this!"

"Wait, Amethyst, should we-" Before Rose could finish her sentence, Amethyst was under. She groaned, then turned to Greg. He felt like he was plucked from the middle of a volcano and then dropped in icy cold water. He froze, and then smiled shakily.

"Hey, R-Rose." he said, and it sounded forced and awkward. He winced. "Ah, sorry."

"Oh, hello again. And whatever are you apologising for?" she smiled, and Greg felt his face warm. Suddenly, a form came barreling out of the water, up to him. He nearly shrieked.

"What d'you think, human? Now I look just like you, huh?" Indeed, a very human-looking, and very  _nude_ , Amethyst stood before him. Without thinking, he shucked off his old jacket and tossed it on her. It took her a second to work out the arm-holes, but she got it on and grinned up at Greg. He zipped the zipper for her quickly, and she grinned wider. Her teeth were slightly pointed. Rose watched this all with a bemused smile, tilting her head.

"What's that called, Greg Universe?" Rose asked, swimming closer to the shore herself. Her shoulders just rose over the surface.

"The, uh- it's a jacket! Clothes are a big thing on, uh… up here, so." Greg replied. How much of that would she understand? He felt kind of like he was trying to explain color to a blind man.

"Hey, why? Not that I don't 'preciate the  _jacket_ , but I like the way I am!" Amethyst said, pulling on his shirt critically. Greg's eyebrows furrowed, taking a microstep back from her grabby fingers.

"I… don't really know. That's just the way it is. Hey Rose, you doing okay? You look… sad." Rose's eyes widened. then she glanced away.

"Mm. Rose is sad cause our Queen ain't lookin' so hot. And… she knows no one will like me, so-"

"Amethyst! I am very proud of you. Don't worry about what others  _might_ think of you." Rose interjected, and Greg warmed at the motherly tone. It seemed to fit her so naturally. Amethyst looked down sheepishly and wiggled her toes in the sand. Wait, okay. Queen. Proud? Was Amethyst her kid? Was she… uh, spoken for...?

Rose sighed wearily, focusing on him again. "In answering you, my troubles are too long to list, Greg Universe."

He thought a bit. Then laughed, which surprised her. "I have loads of time to kill, Rose. And… just call me Greg, okay? I'll tell you about my problems if you tell me yours. Deal?" She looked from side to side furtively, as if making sure she wouldn't get caught by a lurking parent, and nodded. He grinned, and held up a hand. "Please don't disappear. I'll be right back. And don't touch that, please!" Amethyst had her sharper-than-average nails inches away from his custom guitar. She pouted as he ran up the road to his van. He had an XXL t-shirt in there somewhere.

  
  



	4. Chapter 4

Rose waited patiently as she watched Greg amble up over a hill, out of sight. Should she trust it? She supposed it could betray her, but... she sensed a goodness within it.

"Heheh, that Greg is somethin'. I think it's getting you something to put on. You wanna try to get out of the water?" Amethyst chirped, playing with the device that held the front of the jacket together. Rose recalled a brief flash of memory from Greg's mind.  _Zipper_. It was thanks to the human that the tongue of the land came so easily to her. Its mind was so... open to her. Amethyst waved her hands in a beckoning motion, and Rose felt something warm shiver down her spine as she willed her tail to split. It was painful, yes, and walking was agony for first timers, but as Amethyst said, practice made perfect.

"It might take a couple a' tries. Don't freak if you get stuck in between either. And it'll hurt when you get up here, okay?" She let Amethyst talk her through the transformation, and she longed to be out of the water. Plus- and she didn't know why- she didn't want to be caught floundering around like an idiot by Greg. She managed to form her legs, and they ached like nobody's business, but Amethyst helped her out of the water. Her little one grinned up at her when she stood up straight, as Rose towered over her. She grimaced.

"Is this-"

"It's worth it. Just wait 'till I show you the food up here! And it'll get easier. It's not breakin' the rules unless you get caught, Rose." Amethyst reassured, just as Greg reappeared. She could see its shock from here. She waved bodily, tried a gentle smile, and for some reason, he watched his feet carry him for the rest of the way.

wWw

_Wow_ , was Greg's first thought. But his mother raised him better than to ogle at women. So her respectfully gave her privacy... though, the... the  _Mer_ , that was the word, didn't have the same reservations as he had.  _That doesn't mean anything, she still deserves to be treated right_. He kept his eyes averted until he could hear Amethyst chuckling merrily.

"H-here. I hope this'll work for you..." He said, and blindly held out the shirt. It was taken from his hands, and he waited until the rustling of fabric ceased to look up. And up. And  _up_. She had flowing, white fabric tied around her waist that thankfully ruffled down to her bare feet, and of course, the band shirt fit her near-perfectly. Rose smiled blindingly at him, and he found that he really didn't mind how deadly it looked.

"Thank you, Greg. Let's talk." She said, and he nodded mutely. He sat down where he was, and gestured for Rose to do the same. It took her a second to figure out how to fold her legs properly, mirroring his crisscross, and then Amethyst dived into her lap. Rose winced a bit, and Greg tilted his head.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, stopping himself from reaching over to touch her. She was like some sort of goddess, and he barely felt worthy enough to sit next to her, let alone be allowed to touch her soft, pale skin.

"Only a little. Okay, a lot, but that's not important. What happened? I can feel you're sort of off kilter." Rose admitted, brushing out one of her curls. The other hand went to Amethyst, rubbing soft circles into her back. Greg sighed, and Amethyst watched him with large, wondrous eyes. She was pretty cute, he had to admit. Maybe she would like candy? Had she tried it before? Oh, right, Rose.

"I quit my job. My manager finally got on my last nerve and I..." Ah, jeez, he couldn't tell her that he quit for  _her_. That'd be weird. Then he took in her confused smile. "You don't know what a manager is, do you? Okay, if you have any questions, I'll answer them. A manager is like..." He went on to tell her the whole story of his career, explaining things like his van, the radio, electricity, and even the concept of another gender. He blushed and stammered as he gave her a little biology lesson, and she listened raptly. She didn't even know there was another set of pronouns! They talked until he literally could feel the need to sleep weighing on him, sagging his eyelids and his posture. He learned that the Mer Queen was approaching the end of her long, _long_  career, and her adviser wasn't taking it well. Rose was a mad scientist of sorts, and that explained Amethyst, at least. He listened to her confide her deepest fears, that she hardly fit in, that she bore no ill will towards any living creature, and he reassured her that there was nothing wrong with having a heart. He then had to explain that expression, because  _of course all living things have come sort of cardiovascular system, Greg_.

He learned, and listened, and didn't complain when Amethyst crawled into his lap, and pretended not to notice when Rose shifted closer to him, and talked until he had nothing more to say, until his vocal chords strained, and then let Rose take over, weaving tales of the Undersea and Mer and Magic.

And he was pretty darn sure that he fell in love.

Eventually, as the first signs of daybreak started to streak the sky, Rose had to rouse Amethyst- who was drooling on his jeans- and meander back to the ocean. Before she left, though, he let himself tell her that he really came back, and stayed, and waited, for her. She blushed, and the tide broke around her ankles as she stood stock still. Then she laughed, almost unsure, deep in her chest, brought a hand up to brush his cheek. He unwittingly leaned into her touch. She looked enthralled.

"May we meet again, Greg Universe." Rose murmured with a smile, and his heart stuttered. Then she was gone.

wWw

Steven took this all in remarkable stride. The concept of mermaids and magic were probably real to him anyway, due to his capacity for imagination. To his credit, Steven didn't say a word as he told the true history of Greg and his mother, which was a huge feat for him. He did look full to bursting with questions by the end. Greg could understand.

"Did you? Did you reunite? Like in the movies?" Steven finally blurted, the scale clutched to his chest like an anchor. Greg chuckled without humor.

"Yeah, but it was... rough. Rose's research was seized, her title stripped, and she came crying to me, not knowing what else to do, you know? They threatened Amethyst, and Pearl, her companion. I let them stay with me until it blew over, heh. As it turned out, though, the kingdom used Rose's research to its advantage when it found that it could, in essence, bring back the dead. Rose was too proud, and too furious, though, to go back with her friends. She stayed with me. She liked it here, liked fitting in, and eventually, she wanted to give life to something entirely her own. But Mer have a single core, and you needed a base. So she gave you hers."

Steven looked down at his chest, then back up at Greg, teary-eyed. "She did that? For me?"

Greg smiled sadly. "Rose loved you from the start, and so did I. We knew what would probably happen, but she lives on through you. She learned to love humanity, and the land. And that love is _you_ , Steven." He couldn't help getting choked up when Steven's tears finally spilled over. He held up the scale.

"That's Amethyst's, I'm pretty sure. And if it's on the shore, that means she must be up here for some reason." Steven's eyes lit up, and he wiped his cheeks.

"D'you think I could meet her?" Steven whispered, swinging his legs. He got more excited. "And hey, do you think I could grow a tail?"

wWw

Lapis winced as her new guard led her onto the shore. It was agony, but she was secretly overjoyed. She tried not to let it show, even though the other stoic Mer paid her hardly any mind. She eyed the pile of fabric nearby, laid out by their liaison, with distaste. This was not going to be as fun as she hoped.

_"You must travel to the surface and locate a lost Mer for us. Yellow cannot leave me and I cannot leave the kingdom. You are the only Diamond that can find her. You were very young when she left, but you will know her when you see her. Garnet will keep you safe. She is our most adept Warrior, and she will know the Mer as well. Be cautious, Lapis. The humans are dangerous, and plentiful. If they learn that you are not of them, your life will certainly be endangered, and the kingdom put at risk. We_ need  _Rose Quartz, Lapis Lazuli. Our future hangs in the balance._ "

Snippets of the Queen's instructions flitted in and out of her mind as she dressed. She felt strange, and her lower body ached. She looked over to her guard, who had been ready long before her. Garnet wore fabric that clung to her legs, up to where her tail would start, a similarly fitting top, and reflective metal over her three eyes, as humans would most likely notice something like that in spite of her magic guise. Her own garment was only tight on the top, tied at the back of her neck, and flowed out at her waist.

"A dress." Garnet supplied, listening to her thoughts. Oh.  _Speaking_. "And as soon as we meet a human, you can analyze their mind to pick up English. It isn't difficult. But you can't get it secondhand from me."

Then, Garnet smiled, and however fleeting it was, Lapis thought she looked a lot nicer when she did.

"Okay, first things first- where would Rose be? Can you sense her, Lapis?" Garnet thought aloud, pursing her lips. "I can't… see her."

Lapis shook her head, and tried walking further up the beach. She stumbled as the pain in her feet spiked, but Garnet caught her by the arm. "Or maybe we should just practice walking..."

 


	5. Chapter 5

"Come again!" The donut girl said with a bit of a worried, dazed tone, as Amethyst exited the shop with 3 dozen or so donuts. She'd convinced the human that donuts bought in bulk were half off, and that the amount of bills that Amethyst left on the counter covered the total, which she felt only a little conflicted about. Hey, a girl had to eat, and this was better than taking a bite out of an unsuspecting townsperson. Her Jedi mind tricks came in handy around here, so that no one noticed her too much and didn't question when a shirt or two went missing, or that the deli was a bit short on ham this month. No one looked twice at her teeth, or nails, and _yeah her hair was just a light blonde-_ really _light_. No biggie.

"' _Cept Rose would be disappointed._ " something inside her would say, and she squashed the feeling with as little remorse as possible. Rose was gone. She was as good as dead to her. Who cared where she went? She was probably better off without them anyway, constantly buggin' her, taking all her time…

But that didn't mean she hasn't looked for a flash of pink hair, listened for that _laugh_ , _longed_ for her, even after about two decades had passed since they last saw each other. Almost as soon as Rose had been reported as exiled, she'd surfaced, and never went back. Sure, after Cymophane had sent her Peridot up here, she promised to report back occasionally. But she hadn't seen anything. She shoved her sixth donut into her mouth, expending as much thought as one could on chewing something to bits.

She meandered down farther, to the beach. The clothes she left were gone. Good, maybe Lapis and Garnet would have more luck than she had. Amethyst settled in a favorite spot of hers, by a huge cliff that towered out over her, left her in shadow, where she could people watch.

" _Rose would have liked-_ " Shut up, shut up! She opened her next box- half chocolate, the other half filled with something or other. A group of three teens tossing a frisbee back and forth ran past. A man chasing his dog. A kid, alone, the sweater tied around his neck flapping in the breeze. People of all sorts. She hummed under her breath, finishing up her second dozen.

"You gotta stop taking mail! I'm pretty sure that's breaking federal law." Donut girl- _Just about to close up shop, stranger! You're our lucky last customer!_ \- was walking behind a taller woman, with shorter hair, dressed in uniform. Sweet, a mail-lady. Amethyst always thought it'd be cool to deliver things, handle people's important stuff. A letter to grandpa. A bad report card. Heh, even online orders like… like Sea Pals, or something. Heh. Irony. She chuckled, and looked back to the pair of blondes. They looked alike. Relatives. _Family_.

"Aw, honey, you know I almost always say that as a joke." the taller tutted.

"Ugh, and when you _actually do_ -"

"I never get in trouble for it!"

" _Mom_!" The donut girl said exasperatedly, and Amethyst felt her heart lurch. She looked down at her chest with confusion, as she was in peak physical condition. She watched them until they bobbed out of her line of sight. She was alone on the beach now, and the hustle and bustle of the day started to give way to that certain sereneness that the night had. Amethyst swallowed her final donut, and cleared her throat. Her mouth was dry.

"Mom," she said, and she surprised herself with how small she sounded. " _Mom_."

She didn't even notice when she started crying.

wWw

Pearl sat in her room, a small thing carved meticulously out of the side of a beautiful stone wall. She didn't have much- she was only one Pearl out of many, after all. _And who do you have to blame for that?_ She grimaced. Earlier, she had watched the princess leave with a sort of trepidation. What would she do with herself without Lapis? Or Garnet? And Amethyst stayed away for so long now at a time between her short reports, that Pearl even missed _her_ company. She could follow, yes. But that would violate the law, as she had no such permission to breach the surface. _That never stopped me, did it?_ Pearl shook her head. Rose was Diamond rank. A current that was off compared to the water around her signaled another Mer's approach.

"Pearl, designation 0001." Peridot intoned from her doorway, and she about-faced to nod her greeting. _Numbers are just that- numbers. They can't possibly even begin define all that you are, my Pearl._

"Peridot. To what do I owe this meeting?" She asked, and Peridot sighed.

"Yellow sent me to fetch you. She said you could be _important_ to the mission."

Pearl bristled. "And why couldn't I? I'm just as apt, just as adept, just as _trained_ , as you are, Peridot, if not more. The only thing that separates us is our core structure." Peridot just rolled her eyes, and Pearl suppressed a hiss. Distasteful little runt. _Check your temper, Pearl. Don't be so quick to judge that which you do not understand. For me, at least, try._ Deep breath in, water out. Repeat.

"She's coming up, since our simple _core differences_ keep you from visiting us down at the Undersea." Peridot said with a sneer, and she was already off. Between the lines lied the jab at Pearl's own weakness. _We all have strengths, we all have weaknesses. That's a fact of life._ With a huff, Pearl sped after her.

Soon, they were at a level distance between Pearl's standard level and the floor of the sea. The dizziness almost overcame her, and Peridot smirked knowingly. Weak, weak, weak. Useless without someone else. Just a _Pearl_. _My Pearl_. Yellow Diamond rose from the depths, Jasper, princess Lazuli's guard, behind her.

"Miss Yellow Diamond." Pearl said, bending respectfully at her waist. "And Diamond Guard Jasper, as well. You requested me?"

Yellow nodded. "That is so, Pearl. As you may be aware, we are hunting the ever elusive Rose Quartz, once Pink Diamond, traitor to the throne and self-exiled as a result."

"So it would seem, Miss Yellow Diamond." Pearl said flatly, disliking her abject tone. Pearls did not dislike. Pearls _obeyed_. _You have so much spirit, Pearl. You are as unique as you are uniform._

"Quite. However, our efforts have thus far been unsuccessful. From what I understand, you were Rose Quartz's… _closest_ confident, correct?"

Pearl couldn't help her blush. Peridot snickered behind her, and Jasper looked away pointedly. She knew what they all thought of her, a lowly servant, with a Diamond? Mere speculation, rumors. So she held her tongue, nodding once. They had no idea how deep her _loyalty_ for Rose ran.

"Then you will be implemented immediately into our search party, if you wish to help us as an inside source. Come, Howlite is getting worse. I don't want to leave her alone for much longer. Perhaps it's about time that a Pearl did something worthwhile, hmm?" Yellow smiled, void of happiness, and beckoned Jasper and Peridot to her. With one flick of her powerful tail, she was out of sight in seconds.

Pearl loathed herself. She really did, and she didn't want to take the bait that was so obviously meant to goad her into action. But.

A Pearl followed orders.

A Pearl did not think for herself. She was a machine, driven only by her to-do list.

So Pearl decided to do what any Pearl would do. She would find Rose, and fight herself every painful step of the way. But she would do it, and do it well, as a Pearl should, as dictated by law, by society, by everyone.

When she found Rose- because she would, if anyone could, it'd be her, of course- and Rose attempted to apologize, defend herself, whatever, Pearl would tell her it was alright. That she had never, _ever_ , and never would, fight against Rose. But she did have questions.

_Where have you been?_

_Why did you leave us (me)?_

_What have you_ done _to me, Rose?_

_I'm no longer a person because of you._

_I'm a dime a dozen because of you._

_You ruined my life, my future. Our future._

_So why do I still love you so much?_

For once, Rose was silent within her.

wWw

Garnet slept very rarely, especially when she had a job to do. And guarding Lapis Lazuli on top of locating _Rose_ , of all Mer, was one heck of a job. Eventually, though, watching the princess's breath slow, even out, and soften into cute little snores lost its appeal. She did a quick scan- safe area, low traffic, chances of getting discovered- .005%, apprehended- 0%, harmed- 7.03%, killed- 0.000031%. As long as she and Lapis slept soundly, those seemed like the kind of odds she could live with.

Literally. Ha.

They were in some sort of closed off space, long since abandoned, but it served its purpose as their hideout well. They had assembled a sort of... _nest_ , made out of the soft blankets that Amethyst left for them earlier. It was comfy, and safe, and soon- after tucking Lapis in- she drifted off to sleep with her princess. Garnet lived in the future just as much as she lived in the present, if not more. But when she dreamed, she did so in the past. Memories. Flashbacks. Wishes, goals, never come to fruition. Tonight, she dreamed of Sapphire. Tonight, she dreamed of Rose Quartz. Tonight, she dreamed of her rebirth.

_Ruby was a born warrior. She knew this. She was small, but hardened by her years. So how was it that one Mer could completely reduce her to mush? Sapphire laced their fingers together between them as they swam along aimlessly. They were at a comfortable pressure for Sapphire, who was of a far more delicate nature. She hardly ever left her house, as she was too valuable an asset to the kingdom with her future sight._

_But with Ruby, she could go anywhere she wanted. Sapphire pulled her to the left, and a few minutes later, a school of fish barreled through the path they were taking before. She kept going, and led Ruby down along a reef to settle._

_"So, how's Her Majesty?" Sapphire asked, though she already knew the answer. The Queen's end was not visible to her, but she knew that her condition was crumbling. Ruby leaned into Sapphire, glad for the opportunity to vent. They watched together as little things dartedin and out of view, shimmering._

_"Well, she's not getting any better. People say we need Rose back, but it's only been a year or two since the Queen kinda wrecked her business, so that's not likely. Besides, she hasn't been seen at all. She could be on the other side on the ocean by now, huh?"_

_Sapphire nodded solemnly. "The chances of finding her are slim..."_

_"To none." They shared a fleeting smile. Then Sapphire froze. Her eye widened, and Ruby immediately went on red alert. Her mate held up a delicate hand, bringing one slender finger to her lips._

" _Ruby, you need to go. Now." she whispered, with a tiny note of hysteria._

" _What? What's wrong!" Ruby volleyed back, clenching her fists._

" _It's nothing you can help. I… don't know what it is, exactly. But…" Sapphire had to turn away, and Ruby's felt the water literally start to simmer around her. "It's awful. And I'd rather it take one of us than both of us."_

_Ruby blanched, looking from left to right wildly. She'd kill whatever or whoever even thought about layin' a hand on her Sapphire! The blue Mer shook her head, pale hair flowing around her._

" _There are only two options this time, love."_

" _And I choose you. I always have." Ruby choked out, and she thought she saw the shadow of something to her right, just out of her field of vision. Sapphire's face crumpled, and she swept in to kiss Ruby gently. Then, she shoved the Warrior down with surprising strength, and she tumbled into the coral below. Just the right amount of force on the back of her head, and she was out._

" _...onster, some sort of… Mer…"_

" _...came togthe… preservation…"_

" _... the residual energy in the ar… fusing…"_

" _...hear me? Can you hear me?"_

_She opened her eyes. All three of them. And she knew she was in the infirmary, but also that she would be out in under an hour, and she would cross the street where either someone passing her would nod politely or she would get barreled over by a group of speeding children. Or or or, so many possibilities…!_

_It's okay, Ruby. I'm here._

_We're both here._

_We're safe. You saved me. Saved us. Thank you._

_I did? You did…? Wait… who am I…?_

" _Miss?" the nurse said, and she tried to sit up. Her proportions were off. She didn't know how to handle herself._

" _Yes." she stated, and she wasn't sure what she was answering, but boy did she like the sound of her own voice._

" _You were… well, technically you were in an accident. You were in an area of high risk, around Rose Quartz's quarantined facilities. A monster, a mutated Mer, attacked you, and we found you unconscious at the scene. Do you remember anything else?"_

" _My name… what's my name?" She asked, instead, because thinking any further back than a few minutes ago gave her a headache and flashes of faded memory that made her ache inside for some reason._

" _Well, that's- we don't know. We have no records of you ever existing before today." It was then she noticed the two burly guards placed at the door-arch of the room._

" _I'm not an experiment. I'm a Guard, too." Wait, why had she said that? "Or… maybe not… I don't…" The nurse sighed._

" _You were synthetically formed. We analyzed your core for identification purposes, and you don't even have a proper one. It's… strange, like a mess, a mashup. We don't know who or what you are."_

_And then, it rushed into her with the force of a tidal wave. She pulled herself out of the future, and recalled, yes, a brush of fingers, long, silky hair, strong arms holding her, learning how to tie a headband, a first tentative kiss, more of a peck than anything. Long swims, the feeling of freedom, feeling of being important to someone. Love._

_She grinned._

" _I know who I am, now. I'm Garnet. And Rose Quartz did not create me. I'm made of love, and I'm an experience, not an experiment. So get me an identification marker and let me get back to where I left off. I've got business to take care of." She would go back to that reef, and she saw that, in her third eye, how much stronger, better, faster she was together than she would ever have been while apart._

_I love you, Sapphire!_

_I love you, Ruby._

Garnet smiled in her sleep, snuggling in closer to her sheets, lost in her memories.

And that was why she didn't notice her charge slip out of the door and away into the night.

wWw

Lapis barely felt the stabbing in her feet as she started running down the beach. It wasn't that she didn't like Garnet. She seemed nice enough. She _didn't_ want to be guarded, though. She didn't want to be a princess! She didn't want to be Lapis! She just wanted to be-

"And then Lars just, oh man, you should have been... there..." A human, taller than her with bobbed, dark hair trailed off when the group that she was with saw her. She froze. Fight or flight? Panicking, she scanned the humans' minds for any relevant information. Kiki. Jenny. Buck. Sour Cream. Onion. High school. Car. Pizza. Fishing, music, friends, too much, too much! She gripped her head and turned away.

"Hey girl, you okay? You got any friends out here with you? It's late for someone to be alone, even in Beach City." One of the males said, stepping forward.

"Yeah, do you wanna walk with us? We were just about to head back into town." The other one said, and Lapis looked back shyly. This could be her chance, she could blend in and stay out of sight. She cleared her throat.

"W-would you? Walk with me, I mean? I'd appreciate it." She said, surprising herself. The girl smiled and waved her over, and Lapis didn't even look back once.

She listened to them chatter amongst themselves, picking up as much vocabulary as she could. She began laughing softly to herself, and she looked to her left, out to the ocean. It was dark, and the sound of it... she wasn't homesick at all, no sir. Soon, they were off the sand and onto a sidewalk, and Lapis took in the various buildings laid out on either side of the street. Thanks to the trio of rather generous humans, she knew her way around town, which turns to take. But she had to ditch them before they started asking questions.

"Hey, I'm over this way. Thanks for everything!" She said, feigning genuine sorrow. "Maybe we'll see each other around."

"Bye, hon! Don't be a stranger, okay?" Jenny said, and Buck threw an arm over the girl's shoulder as he waved.

"Yeah. See you around. Say, we never caught your name."

Lapis paused. Why not? "It's Lapis."

"Oh, cool, like the gemstone?" Sour Cream exclaimed, and Lapis smiled. Exactly. The waved goodbye one more time, and then Lapis was on her own. Free. Finally! She did a slow turn and just absorbed it, picking a direction and going with the flow. She had a bounce in her step, and the pain was getting easier to block out. It was all mind over matter. A light caught her eye, and she looked over to the horizon. It was gorgeous. She remembered that her eyes had to acclimate to the brightness, and she squinted, watching the entire sunrise. When the ball of gaseous fire was higher in the sky, staring at it lost some of its appeal. Lapis rubbed her eyes and yawned. She had to find somewhere to rest, somewhere that Garnet couldn't predict. Lapis sighed with obvious frustration, pacing down the sidewalk. She had her eyes closed, thinking, when she tripped over someone a few heads shorter than her.

"Oh, sorry!" the princess exclaimed, taking a step back after she recovered her balance.

"No, no, I'm sorry! I was in your way." the little human said, looking up at her. She felt a kind of electricity when their eyes locked. He had donut crumbs on his face, and a huge smile. "We can let bygones be bygones, though. I'm Steven. Are you new in town?"

Lapis nodded before she could stop herself. She was aware of his kindness, and she could play off of that, though she did feel a bit guilty about it. Single parent, though, maybe she could offer to help with the kid? She remembered Cymophane taking care of her fondly, but she was so distant now, and relied on Peridot for all the smaller things. Including watching the younger Diamond. Babysitting, it was called.

"I'm Lapis, and yeah, I'm pretty new. I'm looking for work, so if you know any parent that needs help with kids, hook me up. I need a place to stay too, since I'm a live-in babysitter, so it's kind of important." She said, and put her manipulation skills to the test, inflecting her voice with just the right amount of desperation. Steven's eyes lit up.

"You can stay with me! I'm on my own most of the time, and we can't pay much, but our house is really nice, on the beach, and we have cable, and I'm a pretty good cook!" he cried, grabbing her hand. She smiled softly at him, tempering her shark-like grin of victory. Perfect, on the beach, the last place Garnet would expect, and living with humans? Hopefully that was so outside the Guard's radar that she didn't even check.

"Thank you, Steven. Let's go."


	6. Chapter 6

"Dad! Oh, Lapis, this is the car wash where my dad works, s'pretty cool, right?" Steven called back to his new prospective best friend and housemate, if Dad took to her the way Steven did. He just really liked her, and she seemed super nice, and he  _did_ get lonely. Lapis hummed behind him, and Steven felt as if he knew the song. Maybe it'd been on the radio?

"What's up, Schtoo-ball?" They heard, and Dad came around the corner into view. "Hey, who's this?"

Lapis managed a wave as Steven went on to explain his plan for her. Dad looked dubious, until Lapis mentioned that she had no other options right now, and that she could provide resources for her credibility. He sighed, and then smiled tiredly.

"We aren't the richest family around, but I'm sure I can work something out. Steven can show you to our guest room." Dad said, pulling out his wallet. "What's your base fee?"

Lapis stuttered. "W-we don't have to worry about that now! Let's just do... like, a test run. I trust you to be fair when we  _do_ discuss my salary."

Flashing a thumbs-up at Lapis, Steven grinned. She was great! Dad blinked a few times, then shrugged. "You're gettin' paid eventually, though. You'll deserve cash, taking care of this one."

wWw

Steven watched Lapis carefully as she took in their house. It wasn't much, just an entrance, kitchen, living area, bathroom, loft-bedroom. They had a back room that they hardly used, that could be converted into a nice place for Lapis. For now, she had the choice between the couch and his bed, because Steven was, if anything, generous to his guests. Dad usually spent the night in his beloved van, or doing grown up things that Steven wasn't privy to just yet. Like taxes. Bleh.

He told Lapis that the choice of her lodgings was up to her, and she denied taking his bed. "I don't sleep much anyhow, so." she said, shrugging. After she had gotten her fill of the ground floor, Steven led her up the stairs to his loft.

"Do you have any preferences, my lady?" He said, mock-bowing in front of the TV with a wry smile. She stiffened, and Steven froze with his fingers over the channel buttons. "Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

Lapis shook her head, untensing. "Just the way you said... ah, it's nothing, Steven. And no, you can pick whatever."

Steven frowned, but flipped to Crying Breakfast Friends. Maybe the gritty comedy would lighten the soured mood of the room. He realized that he knew literally nothing about Lapis, and resolved to try his hardest in getting to know her. He didn't know quite why, but something resonated in him with her, and he was determined to make her feel welcome. Steven hopped on the bed and scooted next to Lapis, who kind of curled in on herself. She focused her eyes on the TV, and the next hour or so was passed in the silence of shared loneliness.

wWw

Amethyst whistled as she walked to the donut shop. It was the afternoon, but there was nothing like breakfast food for lunch. If donuts were even, like, breakfast food. They were more sugar than anything, really. She stopped whistling as she reached for the door. There was already someone at the counter, someone huge. They seemed to be talking with their hands, to the poor donut girl, while donut guy watched nervously. Amethyst entered quietly, but the bell over the door gave her away. The three turned to her, donut guy's hand raised half-heartedly. The stranger's glasses glinted in the light, and Amethyst was struck with the barest shred of a memory. She wasn't from around here, that was for sure.

"Thank you for your time." The stranger ( _strong hands, so warm- frigid, regal- polar opposites but puzzle pieces)_ said lowly, striding towards Amethyst with purpose. She immediately and automatically sized her up, judging her weak spots.

"There's no need to fight. I'm not gonna hurt you." She murmured, continuing on through the doors.  _Calming, strong, confident, powerful._ She paused, as if waiting, and Amethyst got the message. She turned and followed the other around to the side of the building, where she leaned against the wall casually. Amethyst quelled her instincts by focusing on her soft smile, the relaxed shoulders. She was too calm to be anything but an ally, and her memories...

"Do you know who I am?" She asked, almost hopefully, but her voice was so even Amethyst could hardly tell. She shook her head mutely, then paused. That hair... but the lips, and...

"R-Ruby?" Amethyst said, regretting it as soon as she spoke. The stranger laughed, though it was tinged with a bit of something other than mirth.

"Close. I'm Garnet. You don't remember me, but I remember you. I used to be Ruby and Sapphire." She let that sink in, before pressing on. Amethyst was speechless, anyway. "We were set upon by a horrible monster, an unseen side-effect of Rose's experiments. We don't know if there are any more, but we do know that Rose wouldn't have had it in her to kill any of them."

Amethyst nodded, then shuddered. Rose's experiments... monsters. Where did that leave her, huh? Garnet finished off. "Her leftover magic fused us together, as Ruby was badly concussed and Sapphire was mortally wounded. And here we are."

"Wow. So are you here on official business or...?" At this, Garnet's expression turned grim.

"I've since been promoted to a Diamond Guard, and was sent up here with Blue Diamond to locate Rose. And now I've lost her too, and I can't see her. My vision doesn't work as well, clouded by all these humans as it is."

"Future sight? Sweet. But the only magic up here that'll do you any good is mind manip. Summon your weapons, arrested. Eat someone, arrested. There's a lot of rules. I've been looking for Rose too, but haven't seen anything. She coulda skipped out on this town years ago. As for the princess, who knows? She was still a kid when I left."

Garnet grimaced. "It looks pretty bad from where I'm standing, honestly. But I doubt that Rose would have left us. She cares too much. And the princess was so mild-mannered with me I'd never have suspected her of running off. To believe I was so short-sighted!"

Amethyst bristled. Garnet deflated, taking deep breaths. "I'm sorry. I'm not in my right mind right now."

"That's okay. We all have bad days, I guess. I'll tell you what, though- we can go back in the Big Donut, sit down, get some sugar in us, and swap secrets. I'll tell you everything I know about Beach City, if you give me the down low on the royals these days. How's about it, partner?" Amethyst said, in her best drawl. She wasn't sure if Garnet would get the reference.

But she raised her hands in a double pistol, and smirked. "Bang, bang. Let's go, cowboy."

wWw

Dinner time at the Universe household was usually a small thing, takeout, pizza, or stovetop cooked meals out of a box. But Lapis was an esteemed guest, and Steven swore up and down to himself that morning that he would show her the best time of her entire life. So he Googled easy recipes-  _so easy a 10 year old could make!_ , good thing he was 12- and dragged Lapis to the little grocery store.

"Good afternoon, Steven!" One of the usual cashiers, Molly, called out. He nodded politely, and Lapis stared. He didn't blame her. Molly's tattoos were captivating, and once, Steven spent a whole day here trying to replicate them on his arms in marker. He had to use crayons for a whole week after that. Once they were in the aisles, Lapis turned to him fervently.

"Was she alright? Is she sick?" She stage whispered, as he reached for a can of tomato sauce. He knitted his eyebrows.

"No, she has tattoos. Permanent ink." He recalled walking past a shop once, and seeing a girl crying while her friends cheered her on. "Painful, I guess, too. But they can be pretty, or meaningful. They're like art that you can carry with you!"

While he explained, Lapis scanned his face, absorbing. They stood there for a minute, and Steven felt kinda awkward under her stare, like she was reading his mind or something. Then, she nodded, and smiled easily. "Thanks, Steven." He nodded, and continued on with his shopping list. She helped him reach the stuff on the higher shelves, which was usually Sam's job, but he was up front mopping a spill. He was liking Lapis more and more.

Steven let Lapis push the cart, too, which seemed to make her happy. She was really pretty when she smiled, but they were all really small, and tight-lipped. He'd have to change that. As they were finishing up, Steven figured that the weight of the cart would more than cancel out Lapis's, and gently took the cart from her to demonstrate.

"Wanna see somethin'  _cool?"_ He asked, waggling his eyebrows. She laughed, and immediately covered her mouth. She nodded, still, and Steven could tell she was smiling wide under her hand. Perfect. He got a good start down the bread aisle, then hopped on the bottom rail of the cart, coasting down the middle. Lapis jogged behind him, intrigued.

"Can I-"

"But of course!" He hopped off, and they ran the cart back together.

"Okay so I just speed up the cart and... glide." Lapis said, mostly to herself, and Steven smiled. She must not have had a rock-star dad to teach her things like cart-riding and card games (they tried those, she was awful, but picked up quick, and always seemed to know which cards he had). She copied Steven to a tee, and laughed breathlessly when she came to a stop.

"Let's go again!" Steven and Lapis took turns, until the manager came over and had to ask them to quit it.

"You know I hate to kill your buzz, Steven, but I can't allow such misconduct in my establishment!" She said, wagging a finger in his direction. She gave Lapis a sideways glance. "You too, missy."

Lapis looked affronted. Steven quickly jumped to apologize when it looked like his babysitter was gonna knock the manager down a peg or two. "We're sorry, Mrs. Gomez. We'll just pay for our stuff and get outta your hair!"

"See that you do, Steven. I'd hate to call your dad while he's working. Almost tourist season, you know." Steven nodded, and gestured for Lapis to get the cart. She did so, though she still wore a frown.

"No one's ever talked to me like that before. Or looked at me like that." She said hotly. "What makes her better than me?"

Steven looked over. Maybe she never had a dad to teach her this, either. "What makes  _you_  better than  _her_? You're both people. And you both deserve respect. If you don't give, how can you expect to receive?" Lapis looked at him, almost like she was seeing a different person. And then she shook her head, and turned it away pointedly.

"Act like that if you want. But you still have to help me carry groceries."

They walked home in silence, and Steven could almost feel a chill in the air. It made his heart hurt. They reached home and Steven set his stuff down on the counter, Lapis following suit. He heard the plunking of feet on the stairs, and then the click of the television. So that was that, then. He started dinner with a cement block in his gut. Pan. Layer, layer, layer. Easy, quick lasagna. He sniffled in the stony quiet, and wondered if he'd be eating alone. Then, the TV shut off. Steven made a point of busying himself with the oven, fiddling with the dials.

"Do you need any help?" Her voice was timid, and stuffy. "I can... feel... your sadness from all the way up there." He didn't understand her odd phrasing, but accepted her acknowledgment and apology nonetheless. He was a child, after all, and meant to question everything questionable but that which he should. He worked a smile onto his face.

"Have you ever made garlic bread?"

wWw

"Jasper wants to see you, Yellow." Peridot intoned, and Cymophane looked up from her makeshift desk. She knew of many human things, this and that, from Peridot, and strived to recreate their most excellent and driven inventions. Desks, fashioned out of stone slabs. Chairs, made in much the same way. Lamps, indoor lighting, harvested through the naturally luminous creatures of their home. She was particularly praised for that one.

"What for, my dear?" She would never refer to Peridot as such publicly, but she truly  _was_  fond of the troublesome assistant. The young Mer preened, and smiled a little.

"She wouldn't say. She just said it was important. She won't stop making rounds outside of the Monolith, and Onyx is getting antsy. Though, I guess, she'd always kinda on edge."

Cymophane sighed. "Go ahead and bring her in. I've nothing better to do anyhow." Peridot nodded and zipped off through the tunnels up to the higher levels of the Monolith. What a speedy little thing she was, indeed, always so over-eager. She only had herself to blame, though. She had tried to replicate Rose's formulas, but Peridot wasn't nearly as developed as Amethyst or the Pearls. A piece of her core, her innermost traits, magnified, personified, electrified. She breathed deeply, surely, making herself appear calmer than she was in reality. In reality, she hurt. She could feel every iota of Howlite's pain, and she was near constantly wracked with it. That was why she never would, ever, allow herself to get so attached to Lapis Lazuli. She was too sensitive to those that she loved. If she wanted to, she could reach out and brush Peridot. But it would be cursory, and weak. And Peridot couldn't reach back.

That's was how it had to be. She looked up to see a large figure blocking most of the tunnel's light.

"Yellow Diamond. We need to speak alone." Jasper nearly growled from the doorway, and she barely concealed her frown. She never quite liked Jasper, but she did her job well of protecting Lapis in Cymophane's stead. Peridot lingered behind her, probably upset at the Guard's brash announcement, but obeyed when Cymophane waved a hand in dismissal.

"What is it, Jasper?" She asked, rising to drift towards the striped Mer.

"It's about Lapis. And White Diamond. But mostly, this is about you."

Cymophane quirked an eyebrow. "Is that so?" Jasper smiled, and inched closer. Yellow elected to ignore it, as she doubted the other would make an attempt on her life. Besides, she feared death no more than Howlite did.

"White Diamond won't last long at this rate. We both are aware of this, correct?" Cymophane nodded curtly, though inwardly she thought that awareness and acceptance were two radically different things.

"And Lapis would be better suited to other things than ruling. She would never take care of the kingdom the way it needs to be taken care of. She's an unpredictable factor in the success of our people." Jasper pressed on, unaware or uncaring of Cymophane's growing tension. " _You_ know the Queen. How ruling works. How things should be done."

Cymophane shook her head slowly, but Jasper ignored her. "Listen, Yellow Diamond. I know Lapis. I can... occupy her... until White passes, when you can take the throne for yourself."  _And I can have my due cut_ , was implied. "The kingdom would prosper. We could thrive with you in charge, Yellow. Everyone can get what they want. What they need."

"Get out." Her voice was like a knife, a whip, that seemed to cut through Jasper's frame. She shuddered, and her expression twisted into one of unbridled malice. But she was unable to refuse such a direct command. She was gone within 10 seconds. Peridot re-entered the room, uncharacteristically meek.

"Are you okay?" She questioned softly, and Cymophane unclenched her fists. Blood rose on either side of her in thin trails. She glanced down at her hands to see four uniform cuts on each of her palms. Peridot watched with wide eyes, frozen in the doorway.

"I'm fine, Peridot. If you could, keep an eye on Jasper for me. I'll be with Howlite if you or anyone else requires me." Cymophane's voice was steady and cool. A perfect mask to hide all the secrets that she kept. She brushed past her assistant, who trailed after her unsurely, brows drawn. Fury bubbled in her like a tsunami, from years of pent up stress.

"You have your orders, Peridot! I hope you are competent enough to at least handle that much!" At Peridot's terrified squeak, she immediately resented her angry words. She shouldn't have taken it out on her Peridot. The Mer swam off before Cymophane could apologize, and she shuddered in a breath at the sound of a hitched sob. Her head thunked against the wall as she fell against it heavily. Jasper was wrong. How was she to be Howlite's heir and master of the Sea if she could not even manage to be the master of herself?

 


	7. Chapter 7

Lapis allowed herself a grin- _turn away, don't let him see your teeth_ \- as Steven ran ahead of her, making footprints in the sand. It had been a few days since their fight, and Lapis wanted to lighten the mood in the house. Already harboring a certain... _affection_ for Steven, she wanted to make up for her crass behavior. Maybe she could stand to learn a thing or two. Even from humans. But her plan was subverted by Mr. Universe. What better place for a Mer to take her… friend than to the beach?

"Yeah, you pretty much have free reign. Just watch Steven like a hawk, stay outta trouble, and don't spend all your money in one place. Oh, and, ah, just to be safe, keep away from that part of the beach." At this, he gestured grandly to the left half of the sandy dunes, and Lapis had nodded with a confused smile. Of course, the second she had asked him what he wanted to do the next day, Steven begged her to take him over there.

"My favorite bucket for building castles is over there, Lapis!" he had said, pulling on her arm.

"How can you build a whole castle with just a bucket?" she had replied, then felt stupid for asking. _Sand_ castles. She had also glanced through Steven's repertoire of sand skills, pretty impressed with not only his aptitude for architecture, but his memory retention. He could recall his first, all the way up to his plans for that day's. And so, she had relented, unable to resist the thought of making him happy. Something twisted in her gut at that, and she had to wonder if the changes he was making in her were good after all.

"Lapis, do you want to help? I know you don't have a bathing suit, but you don't have to stay under the umbrella!" Lapis looked up from her fingers as she twisted and twined them together, to her charge. He was on his knees, out of the tide's reach, with a pink bucket, a few shovels, and a mass of seashells surrounding him. Lapis rose with a grunt. She ambled over the sand, watching him work for a minute.

"Sure thing. What's the plan?" she asked, kneeling down beside him. He shot a smile her way, passing her a long, thin tool. He explained the finite art of chiseling turrets, and left her to it. They worked together in companionable silence, so much nicer now that they were on better terms. Lapis never would have guessed she would be willing to give up her time for someone as… small as Steven Universe, but here she was. She never would have done this for anyone back home. Her hands stopped, almost of their own accord, as she turned to the ocean.

She wondered if Garnet was still looking for Rose, or was she busy looking for her, now? A lump rose in Lapis's throat when she thought of that. Her Queen was suffering, and she was hiding like a child, interfering with the mission. _Selfish_ , her new human vocabulary supplied, and she felt sick. And what about Pearl? She must be lonely, no one ever spent time with her unless she was needed. And Jasper, even. Peridot, her guardians. Were they worried for her? Hands on her own startled her, and she jumped a bit.

"Are you okay, Lapis? You look… lost." Steven asked softly, and Lapis sighed heavily. But she did not speak, because her throat felt tight, and she was afraid her words would break it. Her face must have given her away, though, because Steven sidled up to her, and wrapped his small arms around her torso. She laughed a little, and leaned on him. What was this? This closeness? Was this a human experience, a feeling she just stole from Steven, or was it genuine? She was dismayed that she didn't know the answer.

"Lapis Lazuli?" An incredulous, familiar voice had her wishing that she had listened to Mr. Universe. She looked up from where she had laid her chin, on Steven's curly hair, to see Pearl. This had to be a dream. She wore an outfit similar to that of a human ballerina that suited her lithe frame, and her hair swept up, like it dried that way. Pearl ran at them, and Lapis's instincts flared. She instantly repositioned Steven behind her, rolling him out of the way, arm thrown in front of him. He looked up at Pearl as she skidded to a stop in front of them. Her eyes narrowed at the human, and she scoffed.

"Out of all the things I'd expected to find up here. Have you retained nothing of what I've taught you? Humans are cheap, short-lived, and meaningless. They have no business with us." Lapis held back a snarl, and pressed closer to Steven. He made a small noise of confusion behind her, and Lapis wanted to reassure him, but she'd be found out soon, dragged back to the Monolith, and kept there. Away from him, forever.

"That's not very nice of you." Steven said heatedly, and Pearl looked taken aback. "Nothing is meaningless! Everything, no matter how small it is, has a reason to be there."

He stood behind her, and Lapis shot up with him, still barring him from Pearl. But she couldn't stop him fully. The damage had been done, and now Pearl was going to hurt him, and report Lapis back to Garnet, and-

"Why do you say that?" Pearl sounded uneasy, and she visibly leaned back. Lapis relaxed a bit, tuning an ear to Steven. But she kept an eye on Pearl as well.

"That's just the way it is sometimes. If small things didn't matter, there wouldn't be anything nice. Like my seashells." At this, he stopped and scooped up his smallest one, spiky and cone-shaped. "If this didn't exist, a crab might be out of a home! Or my castle could go undecorated. Or maybe someone couldn't keep it, like treasure. No matter what it is, how short-lived, or common, it means a lot to somebody, and that's what makes it important."

Pearl shuddered. Lapis was in wonder of his matter-of-fact wisdom. How could a child possibly love so much? Pearl brought a hand to her chest, and Lapis saw her mouth one word that turned her whole perspective on its head. _Rose_. No. Oh, no.

"Hey, what's going on- _Pearl_?" They all turned, and Greg Universe promptly tripped, skinning his knees on the sand. Steven immediately rushed so him, calling for his father.

"Are you-"

'No, Steven. You disobeyed me. I expect better from you." he said, sitting up with a wince. Steven's face fell, and Lapis started towards the pair, completing ignoring Pearl.

"It was my fault! Please don't be angry with Steven." she tried, and Greg looked at her. _Really_ looked at her. He recognized Pearl. A shock ran through her when she realized he must've figured out who she was. Or at least, _what_ she was.

"Greg Universe! What are you doing with our princess!?" Pearl cried, and Lapis turned swiftly as she heard the Mer summon her weapon.

"No, Pearl, I ran. They haven't kidnapped me. Please, leave them alone."

"Th-they know too much." Pearl's words were tinged with a bit of desperation. She turned back to the humans. "And what have you done with her?"

"I don't know who-"

"Of course you know-"

"Please, just listen-"

" _Stop fighting_!" Steven's shout shut them all up, filled with such power that even Lapis was tempted to buckle under it. "Dad, you're hurt. I don't know what's going on, or who kidnapped who, but I do know that fighting never solves anything."

He glanced at Pearl, then to Lapis. He was scared, she could see it in his eyes. But he put on such a brave face. Then, he focused on his dad's knees, which were steadily streaming crimson rivulets of blood. In the chaos, Greg must not have felt it. But the color drained from his face when he saw all the red, and Steven tilted his head. He held his hands out, over the ripped skin, and Lapis watched with horrified wonder as his fingers lit with familiar, yet strange, pink magic. Pearl let out a sob out as the skin mended itself, and Greg gasped. Steven stood, and swiped at his eyes tiredly, as if drained.

"Now, we all have some serious explaining to do, I think. I'll go first. I'm Steven Quartz Universe. And I'm Rose's son."


	8. Chapter 8

Peridot sniffled as she rushed after Jasper, as her superior had ordered her. _Follow orders. She'll forgive_.

The Guard sneered at her when she approached. "What do you want, shrimp?"

Peridot drew herself up, managing one of her haughtiest looks. "Tell me what you did to Yellow, you _clod_. You up _set_ her."

Jasper chuckled darkly, and Peridot willed herself not to flinch. "I didn't do anything. She'll see, in her own time. Don't you think Yellow Diamond deserves more out of life than she's getting?"

Peridot paused. Yellow did so much, but got so little in return, this much she knew. But the advisor was well-aware that her job was often thankless.

"And she's practically the Queen's perfect mirror image- the hair, the tone, and the _mind_. Much more so than our _dear_ Lapis."

Peridot didn't want to agree with Jasper, but it was hard not to see the merit of her idea. Yellow _would_ be a better queen than Lapis, and it was about time she got something nice. The assistant found herself nodding.

"But what are you suggesting?" Peridot asked, dubious. Jasper's plan implied awfully... _treason_ -y actions.

"Nothing major. But I _miss_ Lapis, so I think it's about time I paid her a visit. And if she's too busy to be crowned, well..."

"Then Yellow will get to take the throne." Peridot finished, tilting her head. "But does she want to? She didn't-"

"That's irrelevant. Once she's queen, she'll realize that she's in her rightful place." Jasper interrupted. Peridot still felt unsure. Jasper probably had ulterior motives, but she was too weak to even glimpse at a well-guarded mind like hers. She did, however, have faith in Yellow Diamond, in her abilities, her potential. She would be wonderful as Queen. But what would happen to Peridot?

"We'll find a place for you." Jasper said, and Peridot stiffened. The Guard was in her head. She grinned, and reached over to lay a hand on the other's shoulder. "All you have to do is trust me."

"Easier said than done." Peridot muttered, shivering under those sharp claws, and Jasper laughed.

"True. Come, let's go see her together. Perhaps she'd take the idea better coming from you."

"I dunno. She's pretty mixed up right now. I think we should just let it be. You've planted the seed. Let it grow a little." Peridot offered instead, unwilling to face her creator knowing that she was going against her wishes.

"Fair enough. Then, let's discuss the princess..." Peridot immediately felt sick. Jasper spoke of Lapis like she was some sort of delicacy. But Jasper's hand hadn't left her shoulder, and she was aware that the Guard could kill her six different ways before she could speak against her. Instead, the assistant nodded, and listened to Jasper weave her despicable plans for Lapis.

wWw

Howlite looked so peaceful when she slept. The pain in her body had dimmed to a dull throbbing, and Cymophane could pretend that her queen could wake up at any moment, rejuvenated and whole. But that was impossible, without Rose Quartz. She sighed, and bubbles gleamed in the white glow of the room as they spiraled up and up. She watched them lazily, then turned back to her Queen. Howlite never left her throne, but the atypical chair could double as a comfortable resting place. Perhaps... a final resting place? Cymophane shook with her grief as the Queen slumbered on, unaware of the pain she could leave in her wake.

"M-miss?" Peridot's voice was small, and timid. How she hated that she was the cause of that. The normally boisterous Mer, reduced to a meek shadow of herself. She'd stayed away, and out of reach, until now. This was her chance.

"Peridot, about yesterday-" she froze when she saw who hovered behind her Peridot. She instantly went on her guard. Jasper's teeth glinted sharply as she grinned. Peridot bit her lip, and glanced away.

"Yellow Diamond, with all due respect-"

"Obviously not, for if you held any respect for me you would not be here!" Cymophane checked the volume of her outburst, remembering the sleeping Howlite behind her. "In the Queen's throne room, no less, come to talk of her demise, of treason!"

Peridot shrank with each word, until Jasper pushed her forward with disgust. "Let this one speak to you." Cymophane turned her heated glare onto Peridot. The other met her eyes with obvious trepidation.

"What say you, Peridot, of abandoning and abusing all that which we have worked for? All of our responsibilities? How dare you _both_ come here and tell me to do something so... _abhorable_." Cymophane spoke with such quiet acid that Peridot recoiled as if physically burned. She tried to stutter out a comeback, a retort, but it would fall on deaf ears. Cymophane was incredulously angry. She turned around, bracing herself on the throne behind her. Howlite was still asleep, but she was shifting restlessly, as if reacting to her distress. She tried to calm down, for the Queen's sake.

"Give me one good reason as to why I shouldn't have you both locked up for treason." She said, without turning. Her eyes didn't leave Howlite's face, until she felt a small hand touch her back. She stiffened.

"I care about you, Yellow Diamond, and Jasper might be right, maybe this will help the kingdom, but I'm more concerned about you! You deserve more than this, with all the work you've put into all of this, our whole race owes you... I personally owe you my life, now please, let me give back! It's time for a shift, and everyone will benefit from it! Especially you." Peridot said with conviction. Cymophane shook her head.

"I... I don't want to hurt Lapis. Or Howlite." At this, Jasper came forward. Cymophane could sense her imposing presence, and Peridot pulled away with a whimper.

"You're not going to hurt them. That's something that I can promise. Lapis just needs to be stalled until the throne can be passed to you." She purred, pulling Cymophane around to face her. The look in her eyes was absolutely predatory.

"I... I..." For the first time in her long, long life, Cymophane felt lost. She was adrift in the open sea, without any markers or maps to direct her. She could see the validity of Jasper's proposal, but she was just as ready to denounce it completely. Time. She could ask for time. Just as she reached back out to Jasper, though, she felt Howlite blip back into consciousness. And she was furious.

"How could you." The Queen's cold fury echoed in the room like it had been magnified a thousand times. "I see in your mind, Cymophane, the willingness to betray not only myself, but Lapis Lazuli." She began to get worked up, and Cymophane swam back as she felt the force of her words physically repel her. Peridot and Jasper cowered behind her.

"You, who I've trusted above all others. You, who held the princess upon her birth, who singlehandedly saw her through her first years. Plot against me? Her? The entire kingdom? You would toss us all aside, at the power hungry plea of one?!" Howlite sat up, and clutched at her chest at she finished. She swayed, and Cymophane's whole body protested as both of them suffered the repercussions of Howlite's outburst. The Queen's eyes rolled back into her head, and Cymophane lurched to her in an attempt to catch her before she toppled over. No matter what she said, Cymophane still loved her more than anything. But... she had to take the throne, _for_ the kingdom, not to spite it. She couldn't suppress a shuddering sob as Howlite lay motionless in her arms. Cymophane could sense no sign of brain activity, though her gills still fluttered weakly. She snapped into action, still in tears. In the water, they didn't mean much, but the other Mers could feel her anguish.

"White Diamond is in critical condition! Summon the medics, immediately! I... I will hold the position of Queen as long as these dire circumstances persist." Jasper and Peridot rushed out of the throne room, and Cymophane pulled Howlite closer.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." She wept as the light in the room dimmed, as if dying along with Howlite. Almost as an afterthought, she called out to Jasper. The Guard's mind was like a fortress, but her message got through. _Proceed with the plan. Stall the princess._

"We'll find Rose, Howlite. We have to. I'll take care of you, and of our kingdom. I swear it."


	9. Chapter 9

Steven watched with wide, scared eyes as his dad herded them all back to the house. He felt ashamed for disobeying his father, and now he made a big mess on top of everything. The stranger, Pearl, still with that long, deadly-looking spear in her grasp, was crying silently now. She refused to look in his direction. Dad kept glancing down at his legs, probably trying to make sense of Steven's magic trick. He was still trying to understand it himself! He just did what his heart told him to do, reach out, and fix the hurt. If only there was a kind of magic that could reset time, or make everyone a little bit happier. He glanced over at Lapis. She kept looking around them, as if she expected a bogeyman to hop out from behind every corner. A princess, huh? When did everything in his life get so complicated? This whole fiasco made his head and his heart hurt.

They all filed into the house, at the insistence of his father. It took some convincing to get Pearl in, who almost slipped back into hysterics at the thought. Not thirty seconds passed before Pearl had her weapon pointed at his dad's chest.

"Explain yourself, now." Her voice sounded strained, probably from all that crying. Her cheeks were still wet. Steven slipped over to the kitchen while his dad stumbled through his and Mom's history. Maybe Pearl would like a glass of water? He peeked over the counter, and she was baring her teeth at Dad, while Lapis sat in the edge of her seat, ready to intervene. Her teeth looked pretty scary. He unconsciously ran his tongue over his own smooth set of chompers. She'd probably want water. Maybe Lapis too? If he focused hard enough on her, he could see a slight blue tint to her, but it was like barreling headfirst through a wall. Both Mer. Go figure.

Steven returned with a glass of water in each hand. The tension was so thick, he thought Pearl might be able to slice through the air and cut it. He took a second to wonder where the spear had come from, because she didn't have it when she yelled at Lapis on the beach. And then, it was centimeters from his chest.

" _You_. You've taken her from us. You've doomed us all, you... air-breathing waste of space! I refuse to believe she spent her life to create you." Pearl spat at him. Lapis, livid, stood abruptly, and Dad reached out to pull Pearl away. But it was too late. Pearl flicked her arm back, and with incalculable speed, thrust it forward. The point would have driven straight through his chest, if the air in front of him hadn't shimmered pink, and deflected it. Pearl stumbled, and she lost her grip on her weapon. Steven looked down, and watched with fascination as the pink glow faded back into nothing, just like the spear did when it hit the ground. And not one drop of water spilled out of his cups!

"How could you say those things to him? He's only a child, and Rose's child at that!" Lapis screeched, and lunged for Pearl. With the grace of a ballet dancer, Pearl sidestepped Lapis and fell into a spin, kicking her leg up at his friend. It clipped Lapis's shoulder, and threw her off balance. She almost careened right into Steven, but he moved closer to his dad to avoid the collision. Lapis straightened, glaring at Pearl.

"He's the best chance we have, Pearl." She stated harshly, raising one hand from her side, very slowly. "So don't you dare insult him." Pearl re-summoned her spear in a shimmer of light and readied for an attack. Lapis's hand went rigid, and she jerked it up. The glasses in Steven's hands went flying as the water in them followed Lapis's direction, whipping towards Pearl with lightening speed. Steven leaned into his father, who laid a reassuring hand on top of his head. He couldn't blame Mom for avoiding this, if this was what Mer were. This was terrifying. This was wrong. Unable to stand it, Steven broke out from under his father's hand- and any semblance of familial protection- and ran outside as fast as he could.

He didn't know where he wanted to go, but anywhere was better than in that house with Pearl. She was right. It sounded like they needed Mom, but they had Steven. And what good could he do? He wasn't his mom. He didn't know how to help. It felt like he didn't know anything up until a few days ago! His eyes watered, and he swiped almost angrily at his tears. It was the strangest thing, though, and Steven wasn't sure if it was just in his head. With every step he took away from home, the more each one stung.

wWw

The house was silent in the wake of Steven's departure. The room felt physically dead, as if the kid had taken all the life in the room with him. Greg didn't know, maybe he had. He was so out of his element. Though, he supposed, not as much as the two Mer. Lapis stood stock-still, eyes trained on the screen door. Pearl, water pooled around her bare feet, bearing a few thin cuts on her face from Lapis's lashes, was tense, though less so with Steven gone. She turned her lamp-like gaze, eyes as blue as he remembered, to him. He felt like he'd been run through with that spear of hers like a shish kabob.

"Should we go after him?" Lapis asked, shattering the silence. Greg shrugged, before he remembered that she wasn't looking at him.

"No. He knows his way around town, and besides... he's probably really down on himself right now. If _we_ go to _him_ , he'll just run. He needs time to figure out things for himself." Greg replied, sighing tiredly. It wasn't that he didn't worry about his son. It was that he knew his son, and how he must be feeling. He was a smart kid, but very emotional.

"Well, that's not our concern. Lapis, there is no more use for us here." Pearl said, and with a toss of her head, she waltzed to the door. Lapis stayed put.

"Are you kidding? You saw what Steven did- what he can do! There's still-"

"No. He's _human._ I refuse to stoop to depending on a race so infantile." Pearl sniffed. "That _boy_ is not Rose. And he never will be."

Lapis hunched her shoulders, narrowed her eyes. Her guise was beginning to slip, because she was too distracted to mind manipulate. Her hair was a shocking shade of blue, along with her skin. Her teeth, nails, normally so easily hidden from humans, were sharp and menacing. Pearl was unafraid, and collected. Only her teeth belied her true nature, but she somehow seemed even more inhuman than Lapis.

"She's right." Greg said, and Lapis turned on him. He didn't flinch, only smiled. "He isn't Rose. But that doesn't mean he isn't important. Pearl, how do you think she would feel? He's all that's left of her. Her legacy."

Pearl was silent. Lapis twitched.

"Regardless. He cannot help us. The best we can do is return home, to our duties." Pearl finally whispered. Greg wondered if she would ever admit to being wrong about Steven.

"I can't. I don't want to be Queen!" Lapis cried, carding a hand through her hair. "Steven _has_ to be able to help!"

"Grow up, Lapis!" Pearl cried back, swinging her spear for emphasis. "It's your job! You don't have a choice."

"No, _you_ don't have a choice. You're just a Pearl." Lapis spat, and nearly rushed up to the loft. Pearl floundered, mouth agape. Greg looked to her with pity, which she probably resented. Without another word, she left, slamming the door behind her with such force that one of the screws came loose. It popped off and rolled across the floor, coming to rest about a foot away from Greg. He let out a slow breath from his nose, and went to get his toolbox, picking up the two empty glasses as he went.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning- mentions of death. Like, heavy stuff. Be safe!

"I've searched all of the establishments in town. Nobody has seen Rose or Lapis, as we know them anyway. It wouldn't be hard for either of them to change how the humans perceive them, though." Garnet intoned, as they shared fries on the boardwalk.

" _Ugh_. This is so hard, like- _oof_!" They were interrupted as a kid barreled past them, face scrunched painfully tight. Garnet caught him before he face planted on the hard surface of the ground. His chest heaved, and tears ran down his face as she righted him slowly. Amethyst winced in sympathy.

"You okay, little man? Someone chasin' ya?" She asked, brushing his shoulder in what she hoped was a comforting gesture. He shook his head mutely, and wiped at his eyes. Jeez, he really had the waterworks going.

"Here, little one." Garnet took a few napkins from their fry bag and passed them over. He took them with a huge sniffle. Aw, man. Garnet led the kid to a nearby bench. Hey, even Mer had sympathy, and this poor guy looked miserable. Besides, something told her to help him, a nagging insistence that she couldn't ignore.

"Are you alright? Be honest; I'll be able to tell if you're lying." The tall Guard said, point-blank, crossing her legs.

"What Garnet means, is that we wanna know if you need help! You're not in trouble, are you?" She translated, letting him scoot closer next to her. Heh, he was kinda cute.

"N-no. I'm fine. Just... personal stuff." The kid said, so stopped up, voice so raw, that Amethyst ached for him. She nodded, and unconsciously began rubbing soft circles into his back. He had to be, what, 10 or 12? Practically a baby. Garnet was looking off at the ocean, glasses shining, probably unsure how to handle such a sensitive situation.

"Well, take a breather, man. Running away never solves anything, you feel me? It's okay to need a minute though, so long as you eventually remember the people you left behind. You got a family?"

The human nodded and sighed. "Yeah."

"And do you think they'll miss havin' you around?"

"Yeah..." He replied after a beat, and Amethyst tilted her head. She smiled hugely, trying to go for reassuring, but his eyes widened.

"N-no way." He said, and promptly shot off of the bench. "You're Mer too?"

Amethyst hid her surprise well. She had been prompting him to see a completely human version of herself, but had he seen past her mind tricks? How? Garnet's head snapped around to look at the human, who backed up a few steps.

"How do you know about us?" She hissed, and the kid looked scared half-to-death. Oh, it was not his day.

"I-I... don't, I mean-" He stuttered, and Amethyst rose lazily, slowly, trying not to scare him. He obviously knew what they were, so he knew what they could do. She didn't blame him for being scared.

"Let's take a walk, okay, kid?" She asked, implying that there was really no room for negotiation. He trailed after Amethyst, untensing a little when he noticed that Garnet wasn't following. They were similar in height, and he probably thought she was weaker than the huge fusion. Heh. They strolled up the sidewalk at a leisurely pace.

"So, guy, spill. Ol' Amethyst ain't gonna hurt you." She invited, and he glanced over to her, eyebrows drawn.

"A-Amethyst? You're Amethyst?" She nodded, and he teared up a little again.

"Woah, hey, it's okay. No more tears, alright? Hey, what's up?" She panicked a little, and he took a deep breath.

"You aren't looking for M- Rose Quartz, are you?" At her nod, he began crying in earnest. "Then you're gonna be really disappointed."

wWw

Garnet knew that both Amethyst and the boy would most likely come back unharmed, so she stayed put. Best to let her de-facto partner handle a matter like this. She was no good with kids. _We scared him_. _We won't be so harsh next time. I like him. Me too._ The child's apparent understanding of their species concerned her, of course, but he posed no immediate threat to them. There was no future where he fought. That would be foolish of him, anyhow. She reclined as well as she could on the wooden bench, missing her sponge-padded chair from home. Find the princess, find Rose. Then home. She heaved a great sigh, and leaned her head back. Difficulties in this mission were hard and many. Hearing two pairs of footsteps, she sat back up. Couldn't be caught lazing about on the job. The mood in the air was sour and stale, and Amethyst's grief washed over her like a tidal wave. Quickly she stood, meeting her halfway. The boy had more napkins clutched in one hand, tears running afresh. Eyes haunted, Amethyst looked so out of character, it was jarring.

"What-"

"We aren't gonna find Rose, Garnet. Or, actually, we have." With these words, she lamely gestured to the child, who sniffled.

"I'm her son. And she had to give up her physical form to make me. I-I'm so sorry, I've ruined everything." He closed his eyes, and blew his nose. Garnet's stomach fell, and she felt like she'd swallowed an anchor. _It's not his fault. Not his fault!_ _Why would she do this? She did this. Look at him._ She did. He was stifling full on sobs. He was so young- he couldn't be held accountable for Rose's actions as much as she her accidental fusion. 

"That's alright." He looked up sharply, eyes raw and red. "It's okay." She knelt so that they were eye level. _Good. Poor thing. Sweet child. Come here. Let us..._

"Your mother was a wonderful person, with an amazing talent. Quite a few, really. Do you have any of her powers?" He nodded, and looked around furtively, as if they were being watched. They were alone on the boardwalk.

"I-I can protect myself. And heal people. But she was probably so much more powerful than me, I'm useless compared-" Garnet placed a finger on his lips gently.

"You are just what we need. Would you come with us? We could really use your help."

"M-my help?" He whispered. "But I'm not Mom, I can't-"

"Yes, you can." She said, and he fell silent. He pursed his lips, staring up at her.

"... I'll help, if I really can. But... I want Lapis to stay with me if she wants! She ran away for a reason. I think she's unhappy. I... I want her to be happy." Garnet glanced at Amethyst, who looked more pensive than anything. Garnet supposed she was in a dark place, just shocked that Rose was... no longer with them. But, Rose had always been unpredictable, and now they knew that she hadn't truly abandoned them. She shrugged, and ruffled the kid's hair. He startled under her touch, and Amethyst laughed quietly.

"If he can heal White, then Lapis can do what she wants, right?" She said, and the kid looked between them.

Garnet smiled. _So kind. So familiar._ "Of course. It's a deal, Mr...?"

"Oh, Steven. Steven Universe." He said, wiping his nose one last time.

wWw

She weaved her fingers through the luminous plants, their white light causing odd, specter-like shadows to stretch around the room. They were beautiful, but lacked their full luster without their true Queen. Her heart clenched, and she felt herself wilt inside, like she too was on the cusp of death. She sat atop her borrowed throne, feeling for all the world like a forlorn traitor to her dearest companion. The guilt, on top of the trauma of Howlite's rapid deterioration, had sucked away her vitality, leaving her a husk, a ghost. Empty, lifeless, dull, gaunt. She might as well be dead- she felt as much. She didn't look up when Peridot entered the throne room, head bowed. She couldn't stand to see Cymophane in her present condition.

"Yes, Peridot?" She intoned, voice without inflection. Without life. To any other, she would sound careless, but Peridot knew better. She was suffering quietly, locked away behind a mask of stone.

"Jasper is preparing to depart, and all the arrangements for White Diamond have been made. She is as comfortable as she can be."

"Good. All there is to do is wait, then. Life is so fragile, so capricious. Don't you agree, my dear?" Cymophane said, releasing the glowing tendrils and resting her hands in her lap. She looked positively regal, ramrod straight in that throne, weathered and worn down but still so tall. She looked away from Peridot, not really expecting an answer, and sighed.

"Y-your highness?" Peridot called, concerned. Cymophane's brows lowered, and she bared her teeth.

"Don't call me that!" She hissed, and Peridot recoiled. She began to inch out the doorway, frightened for not only herself but Cymophane as well. Perhaps she just needed to be left alone. She couldn't do much when it came to her creator, but this, she could do.

"Wait, wait. Peridot, I apologize. I'm very high strung as of late. Please, return." Peridot willed herself to ignore her flight instinct. She complied, bowing slightly in front of the stand-in Queen. Cymophane smiled fleetingly, and Peridot shuddered a bit. Her master may not admit it, but she was broken. One could see it in her hollow eyes.

"Actually, Peridot, I think you deserve a break. You may accompany Jasper to the surface, if you so please. I hear the stars are lovely." But Peridot could tell that there was no room for negotiation. Cymophane wanted Peridot away from her, for purposes that the artificial Mer did not want or need to ponder. One look at the Yellow Diamond, once a symbol of guidance and control to the kingdom she helped foster, would reveal the answer. The Mer that sat before her was not Yellow Diamond, if a Diamond at all. She was weak, a shadow of the powerful adviser to White Diamond.

Cymophane wanted to die.

And she knew very well that Peridot would never let her go through with such a thing.

But Peridot was nothing if not a faithful assistant. She nodded once, and held back her tears at Cymophane's grateful smile. She would join Jasper on the surface. But, when they located Lapis, she would bring the young princess back, even if she had to fight tooth and nail. She would save Cymophane from herself. Or die trying.


End file.
